Durant caps OKC rally past Atlanta
NBA: Kevin Durant scored 41 points, including the game-winning jumper with 1.5 seconds left, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the visiting Atlanta Hawks 111-109 Monday night for their eighth straight victory.
Durant scored 13 in the fourth quarter, including a 16-foot, step-back jumper with 25.5 seconds remaining that put Oklahoma City ahead for the first time since the opening 2 minutes. Paul Millsap tied it for Atlanta before Durant knocked down the decisive 12-footer while being guarded by DeMarre Carroll.
Shelvin Mack tried to throw a pass to Millsap on the final play, but Thabo Sefolosha knocked it away. Millsap led the Hawks with 23 points.
• Love, Turiaf pace T-wolves: Kevin Love scored 31 points to lead the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves over the Chicago Bulls 95-86.
Ronny Turiaf (Gonzaga) added 14 points off the bench for the Timberwolves, who snapped a seven-game losing streak to the Bulls and won for the fourth time in five games overall.
Staal brothers lead ’Canes past Jackets
NHL: Jordan Staal scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:55 remaining to help the Carolina Hurricanes rally for a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in Raleigh, N.C.
Eric Staal scored twice in the third period as the Hurricanes erased a two-goal deficit for their fourth consecutive victory. Anton Khudobin made 22 saves.
• League not committed past Sochi: The NHL has not decided whether to let its players participate in the Olympics beyond this year, meaning the Sochi Games could be the finale for dozens of players. League officials are not sure freezing their league for two-plus weeks in the middle of the season is good for business.
Sooners pull upset in ‘Bedlam’ matchup
Men’s basketball: Ryan Spangler had 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds to help No. 23 Oklahoma defeat No. 8 Oklahoma State 88-76 in Norman, Okla.
Jordan Woodard scored 18 points for the Sooners (17-4, 6-2 Big 12), who won their fourth straight game. Marcus Smart had 22 points to lead the Cowboys (16-4, 4-3).
It was the first time both teams have entered a “Bedlam” rivalry game ranked since 2005.
Irish blow lead, come back to beat Terps
Women’s basketball: Jewell Loyd scored a career-high 31 points, Kayla McBride had 20 and second-ranked and unbeaten Notre Dame blew a 22-point lead before coming back to beat No. 8 Maryland 87-83 in College Park, Md.
The Irish (19-0, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) appeared on their way to another easy victory after building a 41-19 lead late in the first half. But Maryland (16-3, 4-2) stormed back behind senior star Alyssa Thomas to go up 64-63 with 10 minutes left.
Notre Dame answered with a 10-2 run and the Terrapins never got even after that.
Mickelson seeks help for ailing back
Miscellany: Phil Mickelson flew to Georgia to see a doctor about his lower back pain, hoping to defend his Phoenix Open golf title.
Mickelson withdrew after making the cut at Torrey Pines because of his back injury.
He said joints had locked up and specialist Tom Boers restored his mobility. Mickelson said he still has some inflammation that will take a week or two to subside. He plans to fly to Arizona on Wednesday with hopes of playing the Phoenix Open.
• Seau family objects to settlement: The family of the late NFL star Junior Seau plans to object to the proposed $765 million settlement of player concussion claims because the fund would not pay wrongful death claims to survivors.
Although the players’ lawsuits accused the NFL of concealing known concussion risks, there would be no blame assessed as part of the settlement, and no punitive damages for pain and suffering.
• Zambrano apologizes for brawl: Former major league pitcher Carlos Zambrano is apologizing for starting a brawl during Venezuela’s winter series final. The Saturday night fight happened when Zambrano struck pitcher Mayckol Guiape of the rival Caribes de Anzoategui after teammate Ezequiel Carrera of the Navegantes del Magallanes was hit by a pitch.
• Busch contemplates Indy run: Kurt Busch puts his chances at “70 percent” at running the Indianapolis 500 this year because of recent developments that have pushed a potential program along.
He’s got the blessing of Stewart-Haas Racing co-owners Gene Haas and Tony Stewart, and Haas said he’d be interested in being involved in Busch’s program if the driver inquired.
• Reichelt out with back injury: Hannes Reichelt has been ruled out of the Olympics because of a back injury, leaving the Austrian Alpine speed team without its main medal hope in Sochi.